Belters Only

Originally published in July 2023:

Striking gold on the charts is one thing, but proving your mettle beyond one successful single, and repeating the magic, is a whole other feat – something that Belters Only’s RobbieG and Bissett know better than most.

Of course, it has to be said that ‘Make Me Feel Good’, the 2021 debut single from the Dublin production duo, went far beyond the standard definition of a ‘successful single’. With over 87 million streams on Spotify alone, the dance track – which was created in an attic in Drimnagh – spent two consecutive weeks at the top of the Official Irish Singles Chart, and went on to be one of the biggest songs of 2022 in the UK, breaking multiple records along the way.

“There’s a lot of pressure with that,” Robbie concedes, reflecting on the pair’s journey during a visit to the Hot Press office. “Everyone’s wondering, ‘How are they going to live up to this?’”

But as Bissett points out, “pressure makes diamonds.”

Belters Only. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

At the time of our conversation, the duo are once again seeing the fruits of their labour defy the odds on the charts on both sides of the Irish Sea. Their close collaborator Jazzy – who previously featured on their tracks ‘Make Me Feel Good’ and ‘Don’t Stop Just Yet’ – recently scored a remarkable three-week-run at the top of the Official Irish Singles Chart with her debut solo single ‘Giving Me’, produced and written by Belters Only.

It signals “another huge year” for both acts, Robbie states. That includes an action-packed summer, featuring Ibiza appearances and an acclaimed set at Longitude 2023 – as well as plans to cap off the year with a Belters Only album. Their upcoming 3Arena headliner, meanwhile, sold out in just 30 minutes.

But alongside the major milestones and lauded sets, recent weeks have also been marked by tragic loss for Robbie.

“My ma passing away has been the hardest time of my life,” he tells me. “And it still is – I’m still going through it. But throughout the years, when I’ve struggled, my therapy has always been music. And luckily, throughout a time that’s been so hard, and so low, there’s been so many highs, in terms of the career. Having Biss alongside me, and the team that’s around us – there’s a family aspect to it. We’re all looking out for each other, and everyone’s looking out for me. As long as the music keeps going, I’m going to be alright, because that’s what gets me through everyday anyway.

“And she’s looking over – so it’s all good.”

Music, the lads say, has always been a crucial outlet – both as an escape from personal struggles, and as an alternative to potentially dangerous paths.

“Where I was from, my flats, was basically the epicentre of where heroin was dealt from,” Bissett reflects. “I’ve mates locked up, and I could have easily gone down that road plenty of times. But I stayed away from it.”

From an early age, Bissett was soaking up the Toni Braxton and Cher tracks his mother played around the house, as well as rap and reggae through his brothers. Later, he started DJing through classes at a Youthreach centre.

Robbie, meanwhile, was born into a family of musicians.

“I was blessed,” he says. “My da sang to me for years – and still does. All my cousins, and their mas and das, are amazing singers. My granda was in the showbands years ago, so he was on the road for years. He’s 80 years of age and he’s still singing all over the country. So it was always in me.”

While he started off playing the drums, and was encouraged by his parents to join a band, Robbie says he “wanted to be out front, and in control of everything” – and was immediately drawn to electronic music after being introduced to it by an older cousin.

“Whatever it did to me, that feeling I felt back then is the feeling that I’m constantly chasing,” he remarks.

Belters Only. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

After years of making music in their bedrooms, both Robbie and Bissett struggled to explain their choice of career to their families.

“It’s not normal in Ireland, what we’ve done, and what we’re doing,” Robbie points out. “So we sounded crazy to everybody back then. But now, because of the position we’re in, and the pathway we’ve created, if another kid growing up wants to be a DJ, it makes more sense in Ireland now.”

After the attic in Drimnagh got too cramped – “I wasn’t able to go up the ladder!” Robbie laughs – a new Belters Only studio was built in the back garden.

“It’s actually perfect, the studio being where it is,” Bissett tells me. “You get the feel of the area. What we make is what our community and our age group likes, so being surrounded by that stuff all the time helps.”

They’re also aware that their success makes them role models to young people in the community – a position they don’t take lightly.

“We grew up in this environment,” Robbie reasons. “We understand the good sides of the city and the bad sides. We understand what young people go through in working class areas. We understand how people like us get judged – how we would’ve been judged when we were kids, and maybe still get judged to this day.

“Once we’re ourselves, and we don’t change that, that’s the biggest thing you can be as a role model,” he adds.

That community emphasis extends to their work with Jazzy, who they initially met through friends in Dublin. After she featured on hugely successful Belters Only tracks, they turned their attention to creating a solo single for the Crumlin singer.

“It was the first track we’d ever written in the studio together, so there was a special aspect to it from the get-go,” Robbie says of ‘Giving Me’, noting that their previous singles had been largely built around “resang samples.”

“It sounded like Jazzy, and it represented Dublin again, in another way,” he resumes. “The way she sang it, and the lyrics, and the whole vibe around it – it’s just Dublin city as a whole.”

Of course, their success has now taken them far beyond Dublin. But when it comes to navigating their career, and keeping their heads screwed on, it helps being in a duo with your best mate, they say.

“We were in the game a long time as solo artists, but still to this day I don’t know how either of us would’ve been able to do this on our own,” Robbie reflects. “It wouldn’t feel the same. No matter where we are in the world, when I look at him, I know that he came from the same place as me, and he’s just like me. That helps. As long as we have each other, we can take on anything – and that’s the truth.

“Some of the positions that we’ve been in are positions that people like us aren’t used to,” he continues. “So when me and him are in those situations, being Irish, we just take the piss with each other, and laugh at the whole madness of it all. That makes it normal for us.”

Bissett and Robbie’s vision for Belters Only stretches further than their own performances and releases – with dreams of opening a club in Dublin somewhere down the line. But the pair are also frustrated that Ireland’s golden age of dance music has come at a time when there are fewer and fewer nightlife options in Dublin.

“There’s so much more artists coming out of the country right now – so I don’t know how the Government is not looking at this, and trying to make money for the country off it,” Bissett remarks. “You go over to Liverpool or Ibiza, and there’s tourists from all over the world, and they’re going there because there’s clubs.”

“Just look at the results that Ireland’s getting, in terms of dance acts,” Robbie nods. “Jazzy’s Top 10 in the UK, so one of the best tracks in England at the moment is a dance track made in Dublin. Yet it can’t be shown off here?

“If there were facilities in Dublin – like nightclubs, and support for that culture – imagine what music would be made, and imagine how far we’d go in the world, in terms of dance music,” he adds. “We’re doing all of this with no support.”

As Belters Only point out, they were “blessed to grow up at a time when there were nightclubs.” But there’s now a generation coming up who never got to experience that setting, and that unique feeling.

“We got our music, and our taste, from the club,” Bissett states. “How are other artists coming up supposed to get their own sound, if they can’t hear it in a club?”

“There’s an art to DJing that isn’t really shown in Ireland anymore,” Robbie adds. “When we started off, there was a whole structure to it – the night out and the environment. You walked into a certain club, and you knew exactly what type of music you were going to be listening to, and you knew what DJs were going to be there. It was a set vibe.

“Nowadays that isn’t there, so unfortunately, there’s kids growing up that are unbelievable DJs and producers, but don’t understand the structure of a night,” he continues. “Or they all think they’re headline artists, because all they’ve checked out is Soundcloud, and they’ve views kicking off. So it would be nice to see clubs back in Dublin, so we can really bring it back to its roots.”

For now, Belters Only’s central focus is to continue building on their breakout success. Their momentum has grown consistently year on year – as they demonstrated earlier this month with a festival-stealing set at Longitude.

Belters Only at Longitude 2023. Copyright Abigail Ring.

In addition to Belters Only’s performance, the Saturday of this year’s Longitude weekend also featured a wide selection of their friends, collaborators and heroes – including Jazzy, MK and Calvin Harris.

“MK’s a legend,” Bissett remarks. “He reached out to us to do a remix of the Jazzy tune as well. I think he’s going to be playing that all year!”

“Hopefully,” Robbie nods. “He’s good friends with Sonny Fodera as well – and we’ve been in the studio with Sonny, and worked with him.”

As Bissett notes, it’s “probably only a matter of time” before they jump into the studio with MK too – with Robbie crossing his fingers for a collaboration this year. And what about Calvin Harris?

“Calvin’s the goal for us,” Robbie reveals. “But it’s madness, we only said last year that it would have been a dream to have Sonny, MK and Calvin onto us. And now Calvin’s commenting on Jazzy’s stuff, which is absolutely surreal. Even them contacting us, and acknowledging us, is a dream come true in itself.”

• Belters Only play Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare (June 2); Belsonic, Belfast (June 14); Musgrave Park, Cork (June 21); amd Galway Summer Sessions (August 11).

Jazzy

Originally published in Hot Press in October 2023:

In just a year-and-a-half, Jazzy has broken more records, and made more international moves, than most artists could dream of in a lifetime. In 2022, she became part of one of Irish music’s most extraordinary success stories in years, by featuring on fellow Dublin dance act Belters Only’s chart-topping ‘Make Me Feel Good’ – which she followed up this year with her own single, ‘Giving Me’.

The solo track made Jazzy the first Irish female artist to go No.1 here in 14 years, as well as the first Irish woman to ever hit No.1 on the Spotify Ireland Top 50. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Irish Sea, ‘Giving Me’ reached the Top 3, and spent an impressive seven weeks in the Top 10.

But there’s no sense of ruthless, unyielding ambition driving the Crumlin star. In fact, one of the secrets to her success appears to be her remarkably easy-going nature. Her ongoing mantra, she tells me is: “Tomorrow’s another day. Keep going with the flow…”

Now, as she marks another milestone in her career, with the release of her debut EP, Constellations, Jazzy reveals that, despite her chill demeanour, it’s been a major adjustment, coming to terms with her new career.

“I struggled a bit at the start,” she acknowledges. “When I first did the session with Belters, I hadn’t really done stuff like interviews before. I was quite timid and shy, so it was a big step for me. But when ‘Make Me Feel Good’ blew up, I just had to get over that.

“It was like being thrown into the deep end,” she adds. “Going into the studio with people you don’t know, trying not to be shy, and just getting the best you can out of the session. I decided I couldn’t let it beat me, and it was the best thing I could’ve done. I’m doing better stuff now, and I’m not shy or timid anymore. To be honest, you can’t really be, in this industry!”

Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

For Jazzy, the best way to deal with the sudden success – including hundreds of millions of streams, online stardom, and people regularly stopping her in the street  – has been to give herself time, and ensure she’s doing things her own way.

“The way it happened, with the No.1s, it was like, ‘Well, now I’m after setting the bar kind of high… and I need to keep it there!’” she remarks. “But it’s about not putting pressure on yourself.

“My way of dealing with it now is to not even really think about it,” she continues. “Or even let myself process it, because it can be scary when you think about it! So I try to just play it down.”

Constellations’ list of featured artists and collaborators – including production from Belters Only, Hannah Laing, D.O.D, Jacob Manson, Jordan Riley, and Karma Kid – also reflects just how far Jazzy has come.

“It’s been really surreal working with people who I’ve been listening to since I was younger,” she reflects. “So many people have gotten on to me through Instagram, it’s just crazy.

“I’ve spent the last year-and-a-half going into the studio with different producers, and you definitely have to vibe with people,” she continues. “You need to be 100% comfortable with them to get what you want out of the session. When you’re in the studio, there’s just a kind of air to it, when you make something special. Especially with Belters – they have a sixth sense for that kind of thing. They’ll go, ‘This is going to be big.’ And it does be!”

Jazzy first embraced music as a violinist, working through all her classical grades, and dreaming of finding success in a big orchestra. Growing up, her listening was largely confined to that classical world, as well as the reggae played in her house – especially John Holt, Bob Marley and UB40. Her first proper brush with dance music in a club didn’t come until she was 18.

Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

“I was a very good child, so I never went out, or went into a nightclub, before the age of 18,” she laughs. “I swear, hands up! So when I turned 18, my friend brought me out to my first nightclub, to see a DJ duo called Amine Edge & DANCE – and I just had the best time.

“After that night, I went straight onto YouTube, Spotify and SoundCloud, trying to find other songs I liked, that I’d listened to that night,” she adds. “I just fell in love with it, and it all stemmed from that first night out.”

Of course, Jazzy's been disappointed to see that Ireland's current golden age of dance music has come with a time when nightlife options in Dublin are rapidly dwindling – a subject Belters Only also discussed with Hot Press earlier this year.

"There’s not really enough support available for the amount of talented DJs and producers in Dublin at the moment," she says. "There’s nowhere for them to go. Even there a couple months ago, with Tramline closing down. That venue has been there for so long – I can’t believe that’s gone. I feel like the nightlife definitely needs more support from the community and the Government. It’s an important thing for everyone."

Another formative musical experience for Jazzy was her first gig: Nicki Minaj in the 3Arena. In a proper full-circle moment, Jazzy played there herself at the end of October, as Belters Only’s special guest. Did she dream she could be on that stage one day, when she was looking up at Nicki back then?

“Maybe in the back of my mind, but I don’t remember thinking that at the time – because I never thought that could happen,” she reflects. “But that’s why you have to trust your gut, and not be afraid to try things. Because you never know…”

Jazzy. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

While there’s an obviously strong line of Irish women in music who have come before Jazzy, when it comes to dance music in Ireland, she’s had to step up to the plate herself as a trailblazer.

“I feel I’ve definitely made a little bit of history with the No.1,” she smiles. “I’d like to hope that someone will come after me who will want to be like Jazzy. That’s a nice thought! But it’s crazy, in dance music around the world at the moment, how many women are absolutely killing it at the top of the charts, like Hannah Laing, Peggy Gou, and all these names.”

Thanks to her own success, Jazzy is now perfectly at home alongside those stars – despite having only quit her job at a Tesco bakery last year.

“I was still in Tesco when I heard ‘Make Me Feel Good’ went to No. 1,” she recalls. “I was making my croissants, and I got a phone call. That was one of the bigger milestones for me. Getting to leave my job when I got signed to the label was a big one as well, and kind of scary at the same time – because I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

And her family’s response?

“Even now, my ma understands it, but I don’t think she completely understands it,” she laughs. “But my family were like, ‘Just do it – because you’re probably never going to get this opportunity again.’

“I was actually really close with my manager in Tesco, and she was very sad to see me go – I was a great worker, I’ll say that much!” she adds. “But she always said, if I ever needed a job, I could come back. So it was just a case of having the confidence to go and give it a chance.”

Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

With some phenomenal accomplishments under her belt so far, Jazzy is hoping to plan a tour, and create a debut album, in the near future. But she also remains fixed firmly in the moment.

“I try not to stress myself out with things like that,” she says. “Stuff happens better naturally anyway, when you’re not writing it all down, and looking at it as a plan. I just let it come organically.”

Jazzy styled by Zeda The Architect

• Constellations is out now. Jazzy plays Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare, alongside Belters Only (June 2), and Sea Sessions in Bundoran, Co. Donegal (June 21-23). She also supports Becky Hill at Musgrave Park, Cork (June 14) and Belsonic, Belfast (June 15).